Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-20
Where Spaniard and Indian Struggled
for Possession Two Centuries Ago.

THE CITY OF SANTA FE CLAIMED To BE TIE OLDEST
IN THE UNIoN-PAsSIS6 THROUGH CoMANCHE
CASoS-How THE TERRAcED HOUSES WERE
ERECrED-NYsTIC GAMES AT PUEBLO DE TAOS.
Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR
SANTA FE, n. NJ, August TO-
The City OF Faith, as 1t is called, is situated on
both sides of the santa Fe Creek; the streets are
narrow and the buildings are almost all con-
structed OF adobe, and only one story In height
The city is filled with antiquities the most re-
markable OF which. perhaps, is the church OF San
Miguel, built In ITO, and the Palace, erected in
1881. santa Fe Is the capital OF New Mexico and
IS IA miles from the junction OF the Rio Grande,
and at an elevation OF about 1000 feet above the
sea The population is about 1000, OF which
over 5000 are Spanish and Mexican, speaking
the Spanish tongue. Santa Fe is the center OF
supplies for the surrounding country, and Is con-
stantiy rilled with freight wagons and pack ami
mais, the latter being almost entirely the little
burrOs or donkeys, commonly used throughout
the Territory The supply of wood for home con-
sumption Is almost wholly brought in on their
backs. Inc town Is frregularly laid out, and the
unpaved streets are narrow, crooked, and ancient
looking. The public square, plaza, containing
abOGt 20 acres, Is DOrcred on three sides By the
principal business houses, and on the fourth by
thc old Palace, containing the principal leg1sia-
tive chambers In the center Is beautiful grove
or COTTONWOOD trees and I soldiers monument OF
native marble erected by the territorial govern
iient. Within the town Is the military reserva-
ti'lti vi vi N'tt4CS Ou t-i-LS III tue
vi thr ci.F are the ruins or OH Fort Marcy built
ac. occupied by he trncy Ia Isle, when the Terri
tcrE inst I'll under the coatr". o. the United
States
THE FIRST SPANISH SETTLEMENT.
'Santa Fe De san Francisco dc Asis,'' as the city
was Known Ill the Old Char1h records, Was FIST
visited by the SIGLia-I.s III 11i2. 'hca IL was
popuinls n1!an pueblo. T.n dat " Tie FIRST p.r-
aGHt ,'cri.1'o' - me >ai ::is Is not known.
pt IL Las ten &c capita. % 49, Mexico a!r:ce
1OiO. In I,I5C the mattress fsv@.:ei tH;, GROVE al
TIE whites from the country. Jii. y: IL, III
clpal buildings and efaSi,, - LIZ = .,iaS,t., th
signs or the Spanish occupation. IL vs. r."u!tt-
uTcd In 1854 wheI. TIE Inhabitants rrtgi:Ie. sd
restored tli.r churches and Ctntr Oui,t,lil.s me
old churches q! Miguel ana Santa t,ul,ialDi i,
are restoratlOnS. TIE ).i house Ia tiie rear u; r
church OF San Miguel Is Il relic of he oh: pueb,
built about lE,., ard Is Wei Named IT IL. cl.,-.
house" Santa RE Is rapidly losing is ancie lii
Mexican aspect and With the Influx d; ii tN!c uf
enterprisins 'AmeTicaIIJ1, Will soon be- InoJtr;i-
ICED. All through this r=Si2n Occupied by Euro
peiinS net.ri! iiund-e.. years before any serit-
lncnt had been made Dn me New Eg'litt. G.;i-t},
are found p"puloiS cities ami an indus;!!,;.s %
PIE. who Still cling To the memories Of t:.c past
and our mCsiern civilization s;iI .tc i-.; VITA
the habit, ant customs OF tnret, ,.entllrl:, age
Leaving high basaiti:: basin, SOI rc.ir.I lie
valley of the Rio CIR tLdc through Cuii.aIce GADGn
by descent OF 100 feet Ia l,a5 ;b&G m.ir-, aid
thence follow thr river jo I:~parcii. 81; HIST
glimpse OF the valley Ill coInin. Gown c.!ianc!.e
Canon also reveals EmbudO, small Mexican :..t-
tle1ncDt, where the bright green fields bril-
liant contrast with the birrcnneSs and Ge-cat:.n
or The black mesa. Fourteen niles below -
ChaInita, another small ''ranChita,' and Just
across the river
THE PUEBLO OF SAN JUAN,
situated In the center OF the richest portion Of
New Mexico II was from here emanated the re-
volt that over 200 years ago expelled the Spaniris
and ali their followers from the country The
pueblo consists OF rows OF two and three story
adobe houses, arranged around slIar.s or
"plaZaS' An ancient church Is a prominent fea-
ture. IL was erected about 1862, TO replace one
that had been destroyed during the revolt. The
due of a I'll
the walls being from > To feet In thickness. and
the roofs OF tiuOeTS covered with dirt Il IOCt or
more Some OF the houses are five stories high
(Ur terraces. edch Successive terrace being set
back SOME l. feet from the side walls OF the next
story below. The terraces are usually assembled
by "A ladder outside to the roof, and entrance is
made by descending through a hCle TO the Interior
by another ldd'ier. TEiS mode OF gaining entrance
To the house was adobted A, defensive measure
during the troublesome times, when IL was nec-s-
siry To convert the pueblo into a fortress. Five
miles below l. the Mexican settlement Of 5 ant,
Cruz, noted ior Its fine church, the ilrgrst
outside oI Santa Fe. 1t erected In
the 10th century, as records OF that date
are still preserved among is archives. over
the altar are some remark. able PAINTINGS
sent over from Spain at the time OF the Conquest
y lew miles away il the pueblo OF Santa Clara Its
characteristics are similar To the pueblo OF san
Juan. Including the Very old church which stands
oft prominently. III Northern New Mexico. on the
beautiful! stream o; the no tIrandc and IL the very
foot az LOFTY range OF mountains from which &c
issues, Is situated the .Pueelo d. Taos" con-
sldcrtd the most interesting well a. the most
perfect specimen OF & pueblo Indian fortress.
IL consists OF TWO cOmu:uii-tIc houses, each five
stories high, and Catholic church. now In a
ruined condition. stands near Yet apart, from the
dwellings. Around the fortress are seven circular
mounds, suggesting the idea OF mound builders
They prove To be. however. the sweating chain
bcro or this curious people, the largest serIIng
the purpose or council Chamber and mystic hail,
where rites peculiar To the trtbe-abouJ which
they very retlcent-are perlormed. These
ancient pueboS, dating back many hundreds OF
years before the occupation OF the country by the
whites, abound objects OF interest,
ANYSTIC DANCE.
The mystic rites OF the Pueblo Indians performed
at Pueblo DE- Taos In honor of 81. jerome upon the
Both OF september, are or great interest TO the
ethnoogrst, eccle>iasjic, or tourist. In the early
morning biach-rUOtd Indian makes Il recitation
10 the assembled multitude. In the plaza stands
a pole 30 feet high and from It cross piece bangles
a live sheep less tied together and back down:
also i garland VI sucn fruits and ytget ab.es as the
valley produces. together Win Il basket OF bread
and grain The ten III the adobe chapel rings and
the Indians go In to mass A Mexican priest is
the cecbraut, and two old MeXicanS ar, the
acOlytes. AT The elevation OF the host a drum at
the door Is sounded, ani IA voey or mI,kct shots
are ScharSed from the court. AT the conclusion OF
the services procession l. formed nd marchc, TO
the race track which Is 800 Yards In length. Tie
runners, who have prepared Themselves in the
underground council chambers, or tstufiaS, soon
appear. 10 OF them naked, excepting a breech-
ciOut, and painted no two alike; 30 runners from
other puebiOS arrive To contest with these The
runners form In line on either side OF the
course. and Slow, graceful dance en,ueS: all at
once oUO indu young MtXlcdnS. mounted their
wild ponies, rush through The throng, the leader
swinging by the neck the gallo or cock, which he
nings into the air i signal, ana tie races be-in
Two runners from each side dart down the track
cheerrd 10y their companions. No sooner do they
reC the goal than Two others dart OF, and thus
for TWO hours until the sum OF victories GAINED
by individuals entities one party the u. her the
cidlin 10 Success. i re runners range themselves
Ia Two facing lines, ana preceded 10y ti.. drum
begin Il SLOW sieWise march, Iue I,t,a,
are broken and the Indians, chanting weirG!y
have hard Work TO make their WY through
the struggling mass OF spectators. TO ..dI
To the excitement the women cast lOIvcS OF bread
and cakes from the terraces or the pueblo Tor
vhIrii all scI3IEhIe NJ length the cstiiiIa, have.
ceremonies ,iit ended 1.t Afternoon, from :; to >
oClUch, - coII>tIln"d ty Tire antics of SIX naked
anu LltCpG1IS iI!.ttd clowns. the sun Rear,
the Vest interest ctutcr= around The pole, where
he sheep otl. hangs. Alter many luiiI!c ;tein,;t5
the poe = Climbed. IUC alI..i the yr!lo or tie
Icphts-cl tc sheep i Thrown 10 the ground: ;iic
run, ana grain i5iiVw. All carIieti oil by the
clowns, amidst The Widest excitement and The
DAY : festivities arr over Within this pueblo arr.
FOUR OF these eslt.i!t-, sacred secret council
CttiilheT>. ana outside three more. they contain
CIRCULAR s,tbttTriACdn roUI4Is in which are held
The councils. IL l. -ad that III one OF them Is
Preserved the everlasting rt which must not be
WHOM tLty are waiting.
III TIE tAtE.luc hJrtA western corner OF Arizona
knO" - III province o: Td-iyaIl lie il group Of
seven Fu"O.Ca. While al the other pueU!us were
SUBJECTED 10 l. ru!' or Tie SpInltrd these pcople.
a4"Ic retained tiIcr iniJpcHuclCe, their cities be-
lLS tui-t upon The ou!HHltS CI IUfty nlcsi~, aU-
preached Cily by Llc-Zay and dangerous trails
aInOiI- The cEEa. Again, IN southeastern Colorado
are REMAINS U ancient CltleS. could We trace t,,;.
dhtt'ttciJS OF our Present puebiuS we should lind